Another One Cindirection Story (L.P.)

Chapter 6 - You Look So Familiar

Aubrey's POV

I dragged myself out of bed the next day and headed into the bathroom. I had fallen asleep after the events of yesterday without taking my makeup off and now I could see the after effects. My makeup was smudged, but honestly, still salvageable. Now was the time to make the decision between if I should go back to the original Aubrey or continue being someone different.

One more day couldn't hurt.

So I brushed my teeth, put on lip gloss, reapplied my mascara, wiped off the mascara smudges from yesterday, and curled my hair again.

After all the work was done, I climbed down the stairs, grabbed an apple off the counter in the kitchen, and waited for Owen to get ready.

After twenty more minutes, he finally got out of bed, brushed his teeth, and came downstairs to join me.

"Morning Aubrey—" he started.

"I haven't forgotten about yesterday yet." I said, looking away from him.

"C'mon Aubrey, how long are you going to stay mad at me?" he asked, shaking his head.

I grabbed my book bag off the ground in response and headed for the car, knowing that sooner of later, Owen would have to follow me. After five minutes, he finally came around and got into the driver's seat. I blasted the music and he got the cue; he stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

When we arrived, I got out of the car without saying goodbye.

I had barely managed to get my locker to open when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I spun around, only to find the last person in the world who would want to talk to me, let alone look at me in the way that he was looking at me—he was smiling.

"Connor?" I asked. I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice.

He laughed and kept his smile on his face. He leaned against a locker, a picture of ease. "So, I was wondering... if maybe you would like to go out with me?" His dimples showed easily and his eyes were steady on mine, no sign of any recognition. He must have seen my stunned expression because he followed up with, "Why do you look so surprised?"

I shrugged, my heart racing, but I knew the answer inside my head. Maybe I looked surprised because the only conversation we ever had in high school was him threatening me and embarrassing me. I wanted to say all those things, but I frowned instead.

"What about Taylor?" I asked.

"We broke up yesterday," he said, like it was a simple fact and not like he had been with Taylor since they were in 8th grade.

Wow, was the only word that came to mind. It was just yesterday that he was all over her and now he was ready for a new relationship. Surprising enough, that was the least surprising thing that I had gotten out of this conversation so far. My mouth opened, ready to decline, but I stopped myself when I noticed people watching us and whispering amongst themselves. The Aubrey they knew would have said no immediately but this Aubrey had no reason to say no. Saying no would cause people to wonder. No one ever said no to Connor Boyce.

Instead, I swallowed the disgust boiling in me and said, "That'd be great."

"Great!" he said casually, standing up from leaning against the locker next to mine. "How about we catch up later?" he asked, already backing away from the lockers and heading in the direction of what I assumed was his class.

"Sure. See you later." I said. As he walked away, I couldn't help but feel the feelings of revulsion emerge within me. I still remembered his breath in my ear, his hands on me, the fear I felt from being in his presence. But this new me needed to put on a show and if that meant using Connor Boyce, I didn't mind.